Leonardo  Rizzo's Revenge
by Carol J Forrester
Summary: They knew that the wing's wouldn't work. What they didn't know was just how far Rizzo would go to get his revenge on Leo. Please Review, I've been told that i can write but you're the judges.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I do not own Leonardo of any of the characters in it. They belong to the BBC, or CBBC, whichever one takes ownership.**_

Chapter One

He was going to be so late! Maestro was going to have his head! Why did he think he had time to go out this morning? Ducking past a woman carrying what appeared to be a chicken Leo darted into the next alleyway, a shortcut he hoped to the studio.

"You little bastard!" Pain exploded in the side of Leo's head, sending his flying into the wall besides him. Dropping to the ground he traced his hand through his messy shock of black hair, mildly surprised to find it come away sticky and stained red. Staring at his fingers he saw them blur and shift for a moment, his eyes refusing to focus. Looming above him, his face red and swelled with hatred stood Rizzo, a bloodied chunk of wood clutched in his podgy fingers. Panic spiked through Leo's gut, shards of ice twisting through him as terrors took over.

"How dare you try and trick me!"

Leo felt the air rush out of his lungs as the kick slammed into his stomach, Rizzo didn't stop. Alternating between crushing blows with the chunk of wood and violent kicks he seemed to go on forever raining down pain on the boy. Hatred marking every action. Finally, gasping for breath he stopped. The boy didn't move, he lay as still as a corpse.

"Hey you there! What do you think you're doing?" Dropping the wood Rizzo bolted, moving surprisingly quickly for someone of his girth. The man who had yelled ignored his flight and instead carefully moved towards what seemed to be the dead body of a teenage boy. "In the name of all that's holy." He hissed through clenched teeth. There wasn't a patch that he could see of the boy that wasn't coated in blood.

The body jolted, a harsh cough wracking the teenager as he coughed up blood. Quickly stooping the stranger placed a hand gently on the boy's chest; there was a heartbeat, faint and weak.

"Hey kid." He paused not really knowing how to address the boy. "Can you hear me?" The boy offered no response, the slight flutter of a heartbeat the only sign he was still alive.

"Can you perhaps tell me what your name is? Where you live?" For a moment there was no noise, save the bustle of the street behind them.

"Se... senior Verrocchio." Leo managed to mumble, pain lacing his words.

"Verrocchio? Your one of his apprentices?" The man stared down at the silent boy who had seemed to slip into unconsciousness. He could leave him here and get help, but if he did that the madman who had done this might return to finish the job. As gently as he could the stranger slid one arm under the boy's shoulders and the other under his knees, lifting him off the ground so that his head rested against the man's chest.

A small whimper escaped the boy's lips, no doubt it wouldn't do the boys condition much good to move him, but leaving him in an alleyway was not an option either.

"Mac!" The dark skinned boy grinned at the girl Lisa who would be a boy waving madly at him from under the archway that lead to the courtyard just outside Verrocchio's.

"Hey Tom! What's got you in such a state? You should learn to be calmer like me, Zen and all that."

"Have you seen Leo." She snapped, not caring about whatever Zen was. "He's not been seen since last night and Mistro is about ready to hit the roof."

"No I haven't..."

"Excuse me!" The pair spun to face to speaker behind them. Approaching them was a man with sun bleached hair and a weathered face, staring at them through two glistening blue eyes.

"Leo!" Lisa screeched darting forward. It was as if she'd been punched, the sight of her best friend lying limply in the arms of some stranger, his chest shuddering with each shallow breath.

"What happened to him?" Mac raced towards the stranger next to Tom, his eyes taking in Leo's state.

"I wandered across a madman attacking him down an alleyway, I was too late to actually prevent any damage but when I shouted towards the attacker he took fright and ran off."

"Rizzo! I'd bet money on it." Mac spat.

"I don't care who it was!" Lisa could feel hysteria creeping up on her. She could barely recognise Leo under all that blood. "We need to get him inside! Mac go fetch someone to help!"

"I'll go find a physician." Mac muttered, sickened by the fact he actually was glad he wouldn't have to look at Leo in that state anymore.

"Follow me." Lisa hurried forwards, back towards the studio with the stranger following close behind her.

"I forgot to mention. My name is Philip by the way, Philip Serrano." Lisa nodded distractedly, holding the door open so Philip could get through it without hitting Leo's head on the doorframe.

"Tomaso, what is this?" Maestro's voice boomed down over Lisa, his imposing figure sauntering towards her.

"Verrocchio I assume." Verrocchio's eyes alighted on the bundle in Philip's arms.

"Leonardo? Cosomo, quickly go fetch some fresh water. Take him upstairs, Tomaso will show you which his bed is." Phillip dipped his head and followed the boy who had rushed towards him in terror a few moments again up the set of wooden stairs.

"That one there." Lisa choked out the words. She watched as Philip rested Leo down on the mattress, Leo's head lolling to the side as if he neck could no longer support its weight. The sound of a door clattering open broke her out of her thoughts as Mac tore into the studio, a rather flustered physician behind him.

The pair rushed up the staircase. Mac sucked in his breath, stepping back from Leo's prone figure as he walked into the room. If it wasn't for the erratic movement of his chest he could have been mistaken for a corpse.

"Let me see him." The physician pushed past, bending over the injured boy. "He's taken quite a beating." Cosomo pattered in with a jug of clean water and a dish to pour it into. "You all may leave while I work." The physician motioned with his hand that they should all go.

"I want to stay." Lisa protested.

"Tom." Mac said softly, taking hold of her arm, "Let him help Leo, we'll come back up in a little bit."

She looked as if she was about to protest again but the fight left her and her shoulders drooped.

"Half an hour max." She whispered. "Then I'm coming back up."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I do not own Leonardo of any of the characters in it. They belong to the BBC, or CBBC, whichever one takes ownership.**_

Chapter Two

Lisa glanced around the studio again, hoping, that by some miracle, that Leo would appear from some dusty corner and take his seat. He didn't.

Trying to focus on her painting she looked at her canvas, taking in that she hadn't even started to work yet. Never mind get around to putting any paint onto the picture.

"Where the devil is that boy?" Mistro boomed, glaring at each of his apprentices in turn. Lisa shrank back, unable to answer his question. Seemingly tired with the lack of response Verrocchio stalked off across the room, barking orders at the boys and muttering under his breath.

Lisa almost jumped from her seat as someone began to hammer at the doorway, their fists causing the door to shake in its frame.

"Senior Verrocchio! Senior Verrocchio!"

Cursing, Verrocchio hurried back past Lisa, fumbling with the latch before wrenching the door open and admitting a flustered looking couple. The woman came in first, dashing inside and ushering her husband to follow, his arms filled with something wrapped in what had been his cloak.

Lisa almost screamed.

Clapping her hand to her mouth she muffled the sound, earning herself a reprimanding look from Verrocchio who was still standing by the door, his expression confused. The confusion faded, and instead the colour drained from his face, leaving him tight-lipped and rigid.

"Upstairs." He said, voice strained.

The man nodded, striding up the stairs towards the sleeping quarters.

Scrubbing his hand across his face Verrocchio remained by the door.

"Well what are you all doing?" he boomed. "Back to work!"

The room had fallen still when the couple entered, but within moments it was a flurry of activity again. Lisa remained how she was. Verrocchio was too distracted to notice.

"Cosimo! Fetch a physican!"

The small servant nodded before scurrying past his master, who was heading up the stairs towards Leo.

Lingering in the doorway the woman smiled nervously, her face pale and her hands shaking.

"Would you like a chair?" Lisa offered, uncertain if she could remain standing for much longer.

The woman shook her head. "I don't suppose we'll stay." She told Lisa, my husband will see the poor boy returned and then we must get back, my sister is expecting us.

"Of course." Lisa said, struggling to understand how the woman could simply shrug off what had happened once Leo was back under Verrocchio's care.

"Poor child." The woman whispered. "There was so much blood."

Lisa nodded again, unsure why she did.

"Poor, poor child." Repeated the woman.

It was as if his body was burning, every muscle bone and nerve seared with an unbearable pain that refused to cease. Breathing hurt, but he just couldn't stop. He kept taking painful breath after painful breath.

Pain flared across his ribs as someone applied pressure,

"Well at least three ribs broken and numerous others are cracked. They will have to be bound."

Leo tried to make sense of what the distant voice was saying but the words seemed disjointed, as if someone was talking to him in a different language. There was no way of judging where he was, he could remember being late for something, and then pain, so much pain.

He must have passed out again because he was aware of someone applying a damp cloth to his face. It was cool and their hands were gentle on his feverish skin.

"Leo?" Lisa called cautiously, she gazed down at him, his skin flushed and warm to the touch. The blood was gone now and the majority of Leo's body was covered in bandages. He lay on his mattress, his chest wrapped in white strips of fabric and a blanket draped across his waist. His unruly hair was now trapped beneath more bandages covering the wounds on his head, he lay there silent, and he just wasn't her Leo. He should be outside designing some weird but wonderful contraption or throwing himself off buildings trying to fly with the birds.

"How's he doing?" Mac's voice was tired, the sun was just rising and the room was lit by numerous candles scattered around and about to burn out. The other apprentices were sleeping elsewhere in the studio so that none of them disturbed Leo and Lisa had managed to persuade Verrocchio to let her watch over Leo. He'd agreed somewhat grudgingly.

"He's running a fever and he hasn't moved a muscle." Lisa said, hearing the floor creak as Mac lowered himself down next to her.

"The doc left this." He twirled a small blue bottle between his fingers, "Said to give it to Leo if he wakes up. Something about it being better if he remained unconscious, less painful for him that way."

"How could anyone do this to someone?" Tears burned behind her eyes, swatting them away angrily Lisa went back to caring for Leo. She could cry later.

"I'd bet money it was Rizzo." Mac hissed, curling his arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer, rubbing his hand across her arm in a soothing motion. A soft groan broke the moment.

"Leo!" Lisa tried to keep her voice low, not wanting to startle him. Leo's eyelids fluttered briefly before slowly opening to reveal deep mahogany tinted eyes.

"W... where am I?" confusion flickered across his face, his eyes darting from Lisa to Mac like the frightened wing beats of a bird. "Lisa? Mac?"

"Hey it's O.K there Leo." Mac leant forward, resting his hand on Leo's shoulder as the boy showed signs of attempting to sit up. "You lie still, your safe now."

"It hurts." Leo gritted the two words out, the pain really starting to kick in now that he was waking up.

"Mac, the bottle the physician left." A small blue bottle was passed from Mac to Lisa, flinching slightly as her hand slipped under his head Leo felt the bottle pressed to his lips and its content poured down his throat. It had a bitter taste but a second or two later Leo felt reality slipping away and along with it the pain.

"We should probably send someone to tell Lorenzo." Lisa could hear the strain in Mac's voice.

"It's strange seeing him like this isn't it?" Mac didn't reply "He seemed sort of invincible, like he could do anything and come away unharmed."

"Hey." Mac pulled her back into his arms, aware that she was crying freely now. "He's going to be fine. I know Leo and if there is one thing that Leo will never do it's give up."

"I hope your right."

"Where am I?" Rizzo's course shout broke through the dark silence. "I demand to be told!"

"Oh do be quiet you worthless little man." Rizzo felt his heart shudder in his chest as an icy female voice seeming emerged from nowhere.

"No one talks to me like that!" He was meant to sound strong and brave but a tremble in his voice gave away the fear rising.

"I shall speak to you however I choose. Now answer me this. Why did you attack the boy Leonardo?" A linger silence was left, nervously Rizzo clench and unclenched his fist, his palm sweating horribly.

"He tricked me." He croaked,

"Tricked, by a teenage boy! Oh really, I would have thought that someone of your calibre would be able to deal with a boy." A cackling laughter filled the darkness. "Of course he tricked you, the boy's a genius. A genius that you almost killed."

"What! He's still alive!" Rizzo's voice cut through the woman's, something whizzed through the air and he felt what seemed terrifyingly like a dagger soar past his ear.

"Interrupt me again and I shall not miss a second time." Rizzo nodded dumbly, not knowing how she could see him in the shadows. "Good. "That boy has something I want. You will bring him to me. You must be patient though, strike too soon and he may not survive the journey, also his friends hover around him like annoying midges. They will not give you much chance to act. If you fail me you will be dealt with." The woman finished and suddenly a torch beside Rizzo burst into flames, illuminating the entrance to a dank stone tunnel. "Leave now."

Grabbing the torch Rizzo hurried down the passage, glancing back to the black room behind him. He didn't know who the woman was, but he did not want to risk anything that may result in her wrath.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I do not own Leonardo of any of the characters in it. They belong to the BBC, or CBBC, whichever one takes ownership.**_

Chapter Three

"Lorenzo." growled Piero de Medici's voice. "Care to explain why you are late once again?"

"Sorry father." Lorenzo apologised quickly, sitting down at the table as one of the servants placed the first course for breakfast in front of him. "I was..." Lorenzo's words drifted away as his gaze suddenly locked onto the gardens outside the window and most specifically the rosebush directly in front of the window he was sat looking out of. Luckily both his father and mother were at opposite ends of the table and from where they were sat could not see Mac squatting in the rosebush waving at Lorenzo with a very concerned look on his face.

"Lorenzo." Snapping out of his shocked silence Lorenzo turned to face his father sharply.

"Pardon father. Were you saying something?" he managed to garble out, his eyes drifting back towards the window and Mac.

"You were going to explain why you were late to the table Lorenzo. Really boy, I sometimes wonder what you have in that head of yours."

Obviously no longer interested in the reason which had delayed his son Piero de Medici turned back to the grapefruit in front of him.

"Terribly sorry father." Lorenzo spluttered leaping up from his seat, eyes glued horrified to the window opposite. "I really must go!"

Before he had any time to protest Piero de Medici watched as his son darted off out of the room, his breakfast untouched, and with his mother's disapproving glare following him out of the doorway.

"I wonder what on earth has got into the boy?" he mused, probably nothing of much importance, he was better off just focusing on trying to find something in that dammed notebook of Da Vinci's that would actually help him get what he wanted!

"He's always rushing off somewhere. I have no idea what he's up to anymore." Came an almost hysterical cry from Lorenzo's mother. "He could be running amuck with vagabonds and thieves for all we know." She finished miserably.

"He is not running amuck with thieves, Piero de Medici reassured his wife." He didn't care to mention that Lorenzo actually did keep company with one Machiavelli, whose business deals were not always of the most honest nature.

"I have to go as well." He announced suddenly, causing his wife to cast him an accusing and hurt look.

"As well. But we've barely started." She companied with a cursory wave of her hand in the general direction of the food filled table. "Won't you stay but a little while longer dearest." She pleaded.

"I really must leave." Piero de Medici insisted, "There is important business awaiting my immediate attention."

Brushing her cheek with a quick kiss he paced quickly out of the room and headed for his study. It then struck him for a moment; Lorenzo wasn't the only one who kept the identity of those he spent time with a secret from those he loved. Maybe that boy might just turn out like his father after all.

"What do you think you are doing?" Lorenzo fumed at Mac who had disentangled himself from the rosebush and had been waiting for him outside one of the servant entrance. "Do you have any idea how much trouble I would have been in if someone had found you?" he hissed at his friend.

"Shut it rich boy." Mac snapped quietly,

"Shut it!" Lorenzo shouted quietly, he was angry but he still didn't want someone overhearing them. "What are you even doing here?"

"It's Leo..."

"Oh Leo of course!" Lorenzo interrupted, "What does he want me to do now, you know my father still hasn't forgiven me for taking the falcon. TWO WEEKS I HAD TO STAND FOR THAT PORTRAIT! And my nose still looked fat!"

"How can your nose look fat?" Mac asked confused.

"It just did!"

Mac had a sneaking suspicion that the portrait was actually perfect and it was simply vanity that was causing Lorenzo to make claims of a fat nose.

"Look Leo didn't send me, Lisa did."

"You just said that Leo sent you. Make your mind up Mac." Lorenzo huffed.

"No." Mac found he was starting to lose what little patients he had, if Lorenzo didn't shut up and listen to him; he would find himself having a fat nose in real life. "Lisa sent me about Leo, she thought that since you're meant to be his friend you might like to know that he got attacked yesterday and is lying in bed possibly about to die."

The about to die bit may be a little over the top, Mac thought, but it least it may get his point across.

"Attacked!" Lorenzo yelled, startling a few servants nearby who stared curiously at him. Ignoring them Lorenzo latched onto Mac arm, "Come on."

"Wait. Where are we going?" Mack asked confused.

"Where do you think? I want to make sure Leo is O.K."

"Leo." Lisa murmured softly as she mopped the camp cloth across his feverish forehead. Apparently the fever was down more to the stress that his body had come under than an actually infection but it still needed to be monitored to make sure that it didn't get worse.

"Lisa?" Came the barely audible response. Leo's eyes opened slightly and Lisa found herself coming under his scrutinising gaze. "Where am I?"

A moment of panic shot through Lisa, he didn't remember waking up.

"Your home." She soothed, "At the workshop, you won't believe this but even Verrocchio was worried about you."

"Your right." Leo smiled, "I don't believe that."

Lisa managed a small laugh resting her hand against Leo's face and rubbing her thumb in small calming circles across his cheekbone.

"How do you feel?" She asked, not really sure if she wanted to actually know. She hated seeing Leo this way, he jumped off buildings, fell out of the sky and somehow managed to survive unhurt. Yet here he was simply lying broken and damaged.

"Like someone beat me with a chunk of wood." He muttered darkly, the imaged of the bloodied weapon seared into his mind and everything throbbed.

There was a clattering behind them and suddenly Lorenzo almost fell into the room with Mac closely on his heels.

"I told him." Mac gasped, bending over and clutching his knees as he attempted to regain some of his breath.

"Hey Lorenzo." Leo murmured sleepily, his eyes were beginning to droop again. Lisa saw the shock register on Lorenzo's face and he looked at Leo.

"Hey Leo." A silence hung between the friends, "How are you?" Lorenzo tried again, attempting not to stare at Leo as he struggled to cope with the state his friend was in.

"Been better."

"If you're tired Leo, you can go back to sleep." Lisa said, her hand still resting against his face in a comforting manner.

Leo leant into it, the warmth taking his mind off the pain slightly.

"K then." He murmured, slipping back into unconsciousness.

"How long was he awake for?" Mac asked, moving past Lorenzo who stood dumbly in the door.

"Not long."

Mac wrapped his arm around Lisa; it was becoming almost an instinctive reaction when he was around her. He kept getting an undeniable urge to help and protect her in any way he could.

"Who did this to him?" Every words in Lorenzo's sentence was strained, sounding as if he were about to cry.

"We think it was Rizzo." Mac told him, not looking around.

"I shall tell my father and have him arrested at once."

"No."

Both Lisa and Lorenzo stared at Mac in shock.

"But he..." Lorenzo started

"We have no proof. We wait and then we nail him with something that will make sure he never sees the light of day again."

Lisa nodded in agreement but Lorenzo just stood in grudging silence.

"If Leo dies..."

"He won't!" Mac said forcefully.

"But." Lorenzo continued. "If he does, I will make sure that my father has that man hanged in the main square for everyone to see what a monster he is." His words shook with a fury and for a rare moment the same fury that Piero de Medici held showed through in his son.

"It won't come to that." Mac assured him.

_Well Yay! I finally did it, I updated Rizzo's Revenge. O.K I really need reviews for this because I'm struggling with motivation a little bit. So I hope you all enjoy and I can't wait to hear what you think._


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I do not own Leonardo of any of the characters in it. They belong to the BBC, or CBBC, whichever one takes ownership.**_

Chapter Four

Piero de Medici froze when he walked into his study. His eyes locked onto the steely grey gaze of a one Miss Loretta Antoinette, leaning back regally in _his_ chair, behind _his_ desk in _his _study. The folds of her sating red dress cascaded down to the floor and a sweetheart neckline emphasised what she had once referred to as her greatest assets when dealing with men. She was undeniably beautiful and they years had done little to dim her slender allure, something that she used to seemingly cast a spell over any man she met. That magic though had lost its effect on Piero de Medici a long time ago.

"Buongiorno Loretta." He said icily, glaring at her before acting as if it didn't even matter that she was there.

"Buongiorno Piero." She replied cordially, examining the many rings which adorned her fingers. Her hair was swept up in a coiling heap at the back of her head, with a few stray strands curling down around her pale face to frame it. "It's been too long." She sighed.

"I would say that it hasn't been nearly long enough." Piero de Medici muttered quietly into the book he had just plucked from the many stacked onto the shelves in his study.

"Darling." Loretta cried. "Why, you still can't be upset about that little fiasco in Rome can you?" her laughter filled the room like music.

"I was almost arrested Loretta." He snapped, slicing through the beautiful sound.

"I think the key word there is almost my dearest." She murmured playfully.

"You have a tendency to get the people around you into more trouble than it's worth Loretta, so spit out whatever it was that possessed you to break into my home and leave."

"So demanding. I think that was one of the reasons that I fell in love with you Piero."

"You never loved anyone Loretta and you know it."

"But I had fun." She sang, wiggling one eyebrow suggestively.

"And I was foolish enough to think that I could be enough for you at one point, I learnt my lesson Loretta. There is no place for you in my heart any longer." He slammed the book closed and threw it down on the table, moving towards Loretta to grab her and throw her out of the door.

"That would not be a good idea darling." She sighed. Before Piero de Medici had even reached the desk there as a dagger with a jewelled hilt pressed to his jugular.

"I believe that I was the one to give you that dagger Loretta." He observed calmly, grabbing hold of her slim wrist in her hand so that she would be unable to slit his throat.

"So it was." There was almost a mild interest in her words but she didn't removed the dagger.

"What do you want Loretta?" Piero hissed.

"What you want my darling one. Power. And I need something you have to get it."

"What would that be?"

"Leonardo Da Vinci's notebook."

Piero stared back at her as if he hadn't heard anything she had just said.

"I don't know what or who you are talking about." He stated simply. Loretta smirked.

"I know you and your little Illuminti have it Piero de Medici, just give it to me and I will leave you in peace." The words were laced with threats, and they were as far from empty as you could get.

"I don't have it." He told her. She looked at him for a moment more.

"No. I don't think you do anymore. No matter." The dagger vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "I shall just have to make do with the boy instead."

Piero's eyes went wide.

"You'd kidnap some child off the streets." He couldn't understand his shock, he knew Loretta, of course she would.

"I will have what I want." She hissed finally.

Sweeping out of the door she let it slam closed behind her.

"Guards." Piero yelled. Two men stormed into the room to be confronted by a furious master.

"Yes sir?"

"I need as many men as possible down a Verrocchio's workshop; you will find a boy there. His name is Leonardo Da Vinci, bring him here immediately."

The confused guards bowed and hurried off to their tasks. Piero paced the room. Loretta would not beat him on his own playing field. He would destroy her!

_So tell me what you think!_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I do not own Leonardo of any of the characters in it. They belong to the BBC, or CBBC, whichever one takes ownership.**_

Chapter Five

Piero watched his son through the archway leading into one of the many guestrooms in his home. The curtains hid him from sight or the boy but allowed him a clear view of the room and its occupants.

Switching his gaze from his son, Piero analysed the sleeping form of the young inventor who lay beneath the richly decorated covers of the bed. His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, a slight fever dampening his brow as he fought off an infection that had set in a few hours ago.

Lorenzo had seemingly exploded through the door of his study, his face purple with fury as he demanded that his father explain himself. Of course he blamed Piero for Da Vinci's fever, claiming that if his father had not been so concerned with whatever it was that had persuaded him into order Leo's movement, then the boy's wellbeing would not have been threatened.

Piero had quickly quelled that argument with a half truthful explanation of his earlier meeting. Of course he didn't mention that the group threatening the life on his sons 'secret' friend was a female, or that she had been searching for the note book _he_ had stolen in the first place. Lorenzo's anger had dissipated and he'd rushed back to Leo's bedside, excepting that his father had been made aware of an extremely talented boy, whose inventions could be the source of great good for Florence.

Of course the boy's friends had insisted they stay with Leo, Piero hadn't taken much convincing on the matter, but his thoughts had strayed along the path, of if Loretta was willing to kidnap Leonardo, then he very much doubted she would have any qualms about using his friends to get to him.

One thing had surprised Piero though, the state of Leonard Da Vinci when the guards had brought him into the house. Slung over one of the armour clad men's shoulders the boy had been deposited onto one of the chaise loungers in the sitting room that Piero had been occupying. The bruise mottled torso, just visible beneath swaths of bandages contrasted drastically with the pale of the boy's face, sweat creating a sheen across his clammy skin.

The guard had been fired, Leonardo rushed into one of the guest rooms and a physician called. Piero intended to make use of Leonardo's obvious talents, and the boy dying now would help no one, especially not him.

Mac shot Lorenzo's father a glare as the shadowy figure retreated from behind the curtains surrounding the door to Leo's room. Leo slept restlessly next to him, tossing slightly, each movement dragging a small whimper of pain from between his lips.

"Why is your father doing this for Leo?" Mac asked, scepticism heavy in his words. He was lounging back in an overstuffed chair, Lisa occupying the daybed next to him as she caught up on some rest of her own.

"I don't know." Lorenzo muttered, his annoyance obvious, "He tried to feed me some story about doing this all out of the goodness of his heart but even I could tell he was hiding something."

Mac snorted slightly.

"Your father has more secrets in his mind that an informant."

Lorenzo shot him an icy look over the top of Leo.

"He's still my father, and you will show him some respect!"

Mac's one eyebrow hovered quizzically.

"How did you explain Leo's injuries?"

"I told him the truth, that Leo was attacked by a madman who blamed him for his own greed." Lorenzo told him.

"Does he know it was Rizzo?" he asked, attempting to get Lorenzo to clarify.

Lorenzo opened his mouth to reply but before any sound made it past his lips a clamorous din could be heard coming from elsewhere in the house.

"Intruders in the grounds." Lorenzo said, a small amount of worry evident.

"Who's your father screwed over this time?"

Sending Mac another icy look, one that would rival his father's, the younger Medici swept from the room, hurrying off to see who had broken into the grounds.

Gently Mac reached for Lisa's shoulder,

"Hey." He murmured softly, "Time to wake up sleepy head."

Moaning softly Lisa stretched as she woke, arching her back before opening her eyes and fixing them on Mac. A slight shiver ran down his spine, he couldn't quite believe those eyes, there was something about them to made them one of the most extraordinary things he had ever seen.

"Is Leo O.K?" she asked, lifting herself up onto one elbow to examine her friend who was still asleep.

"Yer, you two seem to be able to sleep through anything." Mac said, nodding towards the direction on the alarm which was still going off.

Lisa shrugged.

"I was tired."

"So I saw." Mac smiled. "I'm going to check that everything is O.K, you stay with Leo."

Nodding slightly Lisa moved to the chair beside the bed which Lorenzo had previously been occupying and Mac left the room. It didn't take long for him to catch up with Lorenzo, the boy stood rigidly on the terrace outside the house, staring with pure hatred at a rather plump man who was held between three guards.

"Is that?" Mac asked, almost not recognising Rizzo behind the battered face and bloodied nose.

Lorenzo nodded stiffly, his movements jerky as if it was taking all his energy just to hold himself back.

"What's he doing here?"

Lorenzo didn't answer Mac; instead he stood a shaky step forward and towered over the man who had hurt Leo.

"Take him to my father." He spat, "Tell him that this was the man who injured Leonardo Da Vinci, and then had the nerve to intrude of the Medici estate!"

Spluttered laughter bubbled out of Rizzo.

"You fool! Don't you know who I work for now! Your father is no match for…"

His words were cut off by a choking sound, blood beginning to froth at the corners of his mouth. As the sparks of life flickered out of existence, Rizzo's body slumped lifelessly in the hands of his captures, an arrow shot directly into his chest, ending the existence of the criminal.

"Young Master! Get inside!" One of the guards yelled frantically, releasing his hold on the corpse and latching onto Lorenzo instead, dragging him back towards the house.

Caught up in the chaos Mac found himself washed back inside the house, Lorenzo just in front of him, still flanked by guards.

"Lorenzo!" he yelled, the boy turned back to face him, down walking backwards quickly as guards continued to pull him onwards.

"What?"

"We need to get to Leo!"

"Why?"

"The Arrow! He's in danger!"

_Hey, I know it's been ages since I updated, but I have good reason for not writing. O.K I don't, I've had all summer holidays and I've just been lazy. Anyway, first draft of personal statement had been finished, the script that was sort of commission had been written, EPQ is still pretty much incomplete but anyway…_

_Basically, I'm sorry __, forgive me? I will update more regularly. I promise, this time will be different, I just know it. Feel free to email me and kick my ass if I fail in updating. Love to all of my readers and I hope you continue to read my work. Sorry Again._


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I do not own Leonardo of any of the characters in it. They belong to the BBC, or CBBC, whichever one takes ownership.**_

Chapter Six

Lisa shifted uncomfortable in her seat beside Leo, she dropped her gaze to the floor, avoiding looking at the guards who were stood either side of the door. Lorenzo's father had ordered them there, insisting that Leo been kept under watch at all times. Lisa had wanted to protest, the feel of Piero's guards watching her making her skin crawl, but she was forced to admit that Leo did seem to need the protection.

Mac and Lorenzo had both vanished, the pair of them barricaded into Piero de Medici's study, discussing the assassin from the day before. The conversation had not been an easy one, with Piero refusing to even listen to the two boys at first. It seemed though, that Lorenzo held the same stubborn streak as his father, and soon Piero was forced to bend beneath the strength of his son's determination. Lisa was left to sit with Leo and for once she had not kicked off about them leaving her out because she was a girl. She was scared, and if she left Leo's side she was scared that she may not come back to find him alive.

Her head snapped up as Leo coughed in his sleep, shifting slightly, his eyelids fluttering as he started to drag himself back to the world of the conscious. Leaning forward she grabbed onto his hand gently, waiting for him to gathering his bearings in the dimly lit room.

"Hey there." she whispered, aware that the guard behind her was motioning at one of the other guards. No doubt Piero was to be informed within moments that Leo was waking up. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

Leo blinked slowly; the potions and medicines that had been tipped down his throat by a well meaning physician clouding his mind. The haze was taking some effort to clear and Lisa's face appeared more akin to a pink, blurred blob, than any recognisable features.

"This isn't the workshop." he murmured, confused by the richness of his surroundings.

"We're staying with Lorenzo." Lisa told him, running her thumb in small circles across the back of his hand. "His father has shown a lot of interest when it comes to keeping you safe."

"Rizzo?" he asked, frowning as he tried to sit up. His chest erupted in agony, the pain spider-webbing outwards, sending his crashing back onto the bed. Leo lay there, gasping raggedly as he tried to regain his breath, the fire burning through his refusing to subside.

Lisa had jumped forward at soon as Leo attempted to sit up.

"Leo!" she cried, her hand finding his wrist, gripping it as if she could ground him from the pain as the guard moving forwards from the door.

"Should I fetch the physician?" he asked, hovering at the foot of the bed as Lisa fussed over Leo and conceded to let him sit up. Leo shook his head, leaning back against the mountain of pillows that had just been placed behind him.

"I'm fine, I just moved too quickly." He explained.

The guard looked unconvinced but moved grudgingly back to his post beside the door.

Just as he did the curtains burst open, omitting both Lorenzo and his father into the room, Mac trailing close behind with a mixture of concern and happiness showing in his features.

"Leo!" Lorenzo called out cheerfully. "Funny time to wake up, it's almost four in the morning!"

There was a soft chuckle and Leo laughed at his friend's words but he soon stopped, his ribs protesting too much from the movement.

"You've had us all rather worried." Piero boomed cheerfully, clasping his hands behind his back. He stood at the foot of the bed, his beady eyes darting across Leo's features, rather like a bird of prey searching for a mouse or vole in the undergrowth.

"Why am I here?" Leo asked, refusing to shy away but feeling the energy draining from him already. A surge of annoyance flared in his stomach. He had barely been awake ten minutes and already he was struggling to keep his eyelids open, they seemed to have been weighted with led, drooping as she spoke. Lisa seemed to notice, shifting closer towards him as Piero began to roll forwards onto the balls of his feet.

"I thought it would be safer for you here than in that dingy little room at Verrocchio's. Especially with my men to keep an eye on you at all times of the day." Piero said, remaining on his toes before dropping back onto his heels. A grin lurked just beneath his lips. Leo had the feeling that Lorenzo's father had won something that had been out of his grasp for an infuriatingly long time. Piero de Medici always got what he wanted, and when he didn't, then there were consequences to be paid.

"And night." Lisa hissed, folding her arms across her chest.

"A little more appreciation if you don't mind young lady." Piero snapped, earning him startled looks from the three boys in the room.

"I think there's been a mistake!" Leo said quickly, bolting upright to defend Lisa but curling in on himself as his ribs exploded in agony.

"Get him sat up!" ordered Piero, pushing past Lisa and helping one of the guards to set Leo back against the cushions. "What do you think you're playing at lad?" he demanded. "You'll do yourself even more damage if you start jumping about the place and curling up like that!"

White lipped and shaking there was little that Leo could say.

"Stupid boy." Piero scolded, retreating from the bed and marching towards the fireplace where a healthy fire was roaring up the chimney. "You'll be doing those fools' jobs for them if you're not careful."

Carefully Lisa settled herself beside Leo of the bed, taking off the wig now her secret was out and letting her hair fall around her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" she asked, catching Leo's face in her hands. Being pale didn't suit him, he needed colour and vibrancy to be her Leo.

He nodded and reached up to catch hold of her wrist, looking for something to anchor him in place.

"What fools?" he gasped, still struggling to get his breath back. "You mean Rizzo?"

Piero's face twisted into a dark scowl, the burning logs in front of him receiving the full brunt of the glare.

"That fool is dead." He informed the young artist. "Killed yesterday morning."

Lisa felt a slight shudder run through Leo. The man might have beaten him to within an inch of his life but Leo would never want to see anyone hurt if he could help it.

"Then who?" Leo asked, confused as to who else could possibly be after him.

"Your notebook." Piero said abruptly, pulling the item in question out of his jacket and dropping the item onto the bed next to Leo.

"Father, how did you get that?" Lorenzo's voice shook slightly as he remembered the whole fiasco when the notebook was stolen.

"I stumbled across it." Piero lied, "I was holding onto it until I got a chance to return it to the young genius who wrote it."

Piero's plans might have been a lie but he was honest when he called Leo a genius. Returning the lad's book was an easy way to earn his trust and there would be plenty of time during his recovery for discussions about the content of those pages.

"You have quite an imagination." Piero said, a hint of praise in his words. "It seems such a shame for all that talent to go to waste."

"What do you mean?" Leo could detect the offer in his voice, but he wasn't about to snatch up anything he didn't fully understand.

"We'll discuss it another time." Piero told him. "I think it was time we all got some sleep, especially you Leonardo. We would not want to impinge on your recovery now."

With that he swept out of the room, leaving the four friends staring at an empty space.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I do not own Leonardo of any of the characters in it. They belong to the BBC, or CBBC, whichever one takes ownership.**_

Chapter Seven

Smiling, Miss Loretta Antoinette leant back in her chair, holding a glass of red wine loosely in her left hand and watching the expression of her chief spy with a careful interest. The only name he had ever given her was Frederic, apart from that she knew nothing about him, but when it came to information there was no one else quite his equal.

He shifted nervously, uncomfortable standing in Loretta's study with the owner herself simply watching him without a word. The room itself was situated in the catacombs beneath Florence, a large circular room with drapes covering the bare walls and thick carpets spread across the floor. Lit by numerous wrought iron lanterns which hung from the ceiling on long chains, the room was by no means unwelcoming. In fact, even the desk that Loretta sat behind was carved out of rich mahogany, the colour warm and subtle, and the style smooth and flowing. It was the woman herself who gave the room the feel of an executioner's block.

"That horrible man is dead I presume." Loretta asked, glancing down at her wine but not bothering to drink any. "It makes my skin crawl to even consider having to involve him in my affairs, there is nothing more disgusting than someone who allows himself to drop to such base levels of revenge. A beating! Really! Anyone would think such action barbaric in this era."

Frederic nodded mutely.

"He did serve as a wonderful gift for darling Piero though." She mused, lifting her glass to rest against her bottom lip. Grinning wickedly over the rim she fixed Frederic with a mischievous stare. "Did he squeal?" she asked.

"No." Frederic responded dully. "He didn't have chance to."

Loretta pouted, disappointed at what she viewed as a rather under dramatic death. Just because she believed beating someone to a bloody pulp was barbaric, didn't mean that death should be so swift and clean that there was no entertainment in the act.

"The boy?" she sighed, placing her glass on the desk. "Young Leonardo Da Vinci, what about him?"

"Alive." Frederic said, in much the same manner as his previous comment.

"I know that much!" Loretta snapped, "I meant, is he within the Medici residence? Does he have their protection?"

Frederic blinked once before responding. "Yes milady." he said.

Loretta's eyes narrowed. "Are your skills of communication so poor that you only know a few words, or do you simply wish to try my patience on a daily basis?" she asked.

Frederic remained silent.

"If you were not so good at your job I would have you killed." Loretta sighed.

"If there was someone who could kill me, you would have hired them instead." Frederic told her, earning an amused expression before he showed himself out.

Once he'd left Loretta turned her attention back to her wine, draining the glass before snapping her fingers and summoning a servant from somewhere behind the drapes.

Her plans were moving along wonderfully, all she had to do was wait for young Leo to come running to her, looking for an ally against big bad Medici. Her poor darling Piero would just have to fall with the rest of them. Marrying that wife of his assured that much.

_**No, this is not a long chapter, but it does do what I want it to do and I should be able to get the story going again. Anyone who is glad to see me updating should thank my reviews, if they didn't keep filling my inbox with all those flipping reviews asking me to update. Guilt is such an effective motivator. Stop using it!**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I do not own Leonardo of any of the characters in it. They belong to the BBC, or CBBC, whichever one takes ownership.**_

Chapter Eight

Mapping out equations on the ceiling above, Leo lay awake, the imaginary numbers blurred around the edges from tinctures and draughts. The windows had been left open, allowing the breeze to sweep through the room, dispersing some of the thick heat that rolled off the burning fireplace.

Keep the boy warm, well wrapped and warm. Those had been the physician's instructions, leaving Leo to shift uncomfortably beneath too many layers and grimace as the movement pulled at his wounds.

He convinced himself that it was the Medici house that left him sleepless; the endless expanse of corridors and footsteps. The guards and servants scurried from room to room, while Leo was left to ponder Piero's words, still as unsure as ever. It had sounded as if Lorenzo's father intended to offer his a partnership of sorts, Medici funding for Leo's inventions. In itself, the offer seemed harmless, simply a wealthy noble who discovered an exception young man with a talent for creation. That would be how most would view it at least.

Leo was no fool. He knew that if someone tried, they could manipulate his inventions. He also realised that he was genius, and that there were few who could rival his mind. It wasn't arrogance, it was simple truth. His father had never been able to comprehend his son's gifts. Instead he had sent the boy away to Verrocchio's studio, placing as much distance as he could between Leo and himself. Every cancelled visit served to remind Leo of how extraordinary he was, but of also how very easy it could be for that brilliance to alienate people and set a person alone in the world.

Closing his eyes, Leo tried to relax back into the cushions behind him, willing sleep to take over. He remained alert, staring at the insides of his eyelids, unable to drop off now that there was nothing trying to keep him awake. He snorted. The moment someone walked into the room, someone like Lorenzo, Mac or Lisa, then it would be a fight for every moment that he was conscious. Even if Piero decided to visit, then Leo would find himself sinking into oblivion before the conversation was done. In the darkness however, once he was alone with his thoughts… Now that was a different matter all together.

"Struggling to sleep my young Prince?"

Leo's eyes snapped open, searching the darkness for the silky voice that had just spoken. Without candle or torch, there was nothing to show what might be hiding in the corners and shadows, leaving Leo to strain his eyes with little success.

"Hello." he croaked, tiredness weighing upon his voice.

The room around him remained dark and silent, leaving him to wonder if perhaps the voice had simply been his mind playing a trick on him. It could have been that he had already fallen asleep, and the voice had been part of some strange dream that he had just woken from.

Leo licked his lips, grimacing at how dry and chapped they were. There was a jug and goblet on the table beside him, the jug still half full of water and just within reach. He sat up, grunting as he did so.

"Allow me." the voice offered, much closer this time, almost right beside Leo's ear.

He yelped, jolting away from the figure whose weight had just setteled on the bed, sitting down next to him. Slim hands suddenly slipped across his lips, and he felt a stream of breath against his face as the figure shushed him, soft laughter hiding behind the chastisement.

"No more of that my prince." the voice whispered, drawing her hands away. The yelp would not have been loud enough to draw any guards, at night they were sent down the hall, their presence deemed too disconcerting to remain within the room. There was no sign of the other children either, no doubt they had been sent home, or in the young Medici's case, to his bed-chamber.

Loretta smiled, his curling lips hidden by the night as she poured Leo a goblet of water, resting her index finger inside the rim to tell when the water had almost reached the top. She pressed it into Leo's hands, her smile widening as he hesitated, holding the goblet between his hands instead of drinking.

"There is no poison or draught to beguile you my prince." she reassured, placing her hand over the sheets which covered Leo's legs. He flinched slightly at the contact but she didn't remove her hand.

"Who are you?" he asked, making no move to drink the water that he had been given. A lithe silhouette was all that he could make out of the figure, a slight dip in the mattress suggesting that they didn't weigh much, and the heavy scent of expensive perfume tickled Leo's nose. The figure was not Lorenzo's mother, and unless one of the maids had been stealing the lady of the house's perfume then it wasn't one of the serving girls either. Leo considered calling for the guards, before tossing the idea aside as quickly as he'd thought of it. If this figure wanted him dead, then she was in a position to do so in a much shorter time than a guard could reach them.

Loretta hummed, pursing her lips slightly, though Leo could not see this.

"I do not think my address is of much concern to you my young prince, at least for the moment."

Leo shivered, his grip on the goblet in his hands tightening.

"Why do you keep calling me a Prince?" he asked. "I think you must have be confused with someone else."

"You are Leonardo da Vinci, are you not?" the figure asked, laughter rolling for her tongue in long musical strands. "That is your name is it not?"

Swallowing Leo nodded, only to realise that she probably could not see him.

"That is my name." he said, unsure of how he was supposed to be answering.

"Then you are my young prince." said the figure, her hand lifting to brush against his cheek. Almost against his will Leo turned his head towards the touch, the figure's hand lingering against his jaw for a moment before pulling away, the air suddenly colder as it hit the skin.

"Do not trust the Medici family." warned the figure, the mattress moving again as she stood. "They will do nothing but betray you."

Leo frowned, reaching out to catch hold of the figure before they left. His hand passed through thin air, the figure already out of his grasp and leaving the room without even a footstep to track their movements.

His one cheek still burned slightly warmer than the other.

In the corridor beyond, Loretta slipped past the guards, and left the Medici residence through the servants' quarters. In the street there was a carriage awaiting her, her men stood to attention, ready to help her into her seat.

She threw one look back at the house.

"Mi'Lady?" one of her men asked, following her gaze as he held open the door to the carriage.

Loretta sighed.

"Poor Piero." she murmured. "He never really could understand how carefully these games must be played. I don't think he'll even realise until the sword is at his throat, just quite how perfectly he shall be dancing to my minstrels."

She turned back to the carriage, pulling herself inside and drawing the curtains on the Medici residence.

"Poor bugger." the servant muttered. "Wonder what he did to get on 'er bad side?"

_**Thank you, thank you for all the fantastic reviews! I'm so glad that people like this story, and reviews are fantastic motivators as always. I'm busy redrafting my Merlin fanfics, and I also have two essays due in next week so don't expect a super quick update, but I should hopefully be updating much sooner than I have been. Thank you for reading again!**_


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